318 is not hot enough

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duster731

duster731

young gun
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So with my duster project finally finished with a rebuilt 318 beefed up headers and etc I also baught a new champion performance radiator 26 in 3 row aluminum. My problem is that the radiator does such a good job that my engine runs around 150 degrees no hotter or cooler and my thermostat is a 180. So with that said is it a problem with the water circulation not fully circulating because the thermostat isn't opening or should I downgrade my thermostat to 140 or something like that. Other then that it runs grate thanks for your help in advance
 
The engine would be getting hotter if the thermostat wasn't opening. Going to lower temperature thermostat would make the engine run cooler since it would open sooner to circulate the coolant. Maybe the temp gauge is reading incorrectly? Is it the same one as before?
 
as 72plymouth said check the gauge it may not be reading correctly, or your thermostat may be defective opening too early at 150 degrees instead of 180
 
180* Thermostats open at 180*.

So……. If your coolant is circulating fully you are:

At lest least at 180* and your gauge is wrong.

or

Your thermostat is opening early (or stuck open all the time).


Replacing your 180* with a 140* would do absolutely nothing or make things worse.


1. Verify the coolant temp with another measuring device (meat thermometer, another gauge).

If it is really 150*, replace the Stat with a new 180* unit.
 
Duster731. What do you think about that Champion aluminum radiator. How was the fitment and overal looks? I have considered one of those but don't know much about them.
 
duster360 said:
Duster731. What do you think about that Champion aluminum radiator. How was the fitment and overal looks? I have considered one of those but don't know much about them.
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First of all thanks everyone for the input Ill have to get a new stat and well see from there. On to the radiator it looks, works, and fits really good. All I needed to do is drill too new holes for it and that was it. My support frame is alittle tweaked so it looks ghetto because its not flesh and straight but overall I love it. Make sure you call them to order it I got the radiator for 210 shipped.
 
Change the thermostat.

If your engine never gets hotter than 150, and the thermostat is a 180, then if the thermostat is working the radiator never even comes into play, since the t- stat wouldn't be open. There's no way your engine runs at 150 with a closed thermostat (no water circulating in the radiator).

So, either the temp gauge is wrong, or the thermostat is stuck open. For an easy check, take the cap of the radiator when it's cold and start the engine. If you immediately see water circulating in the radiator, the t-stat is stuck open.

Otherwise, you could get an infrared temp sensor, harbor freight sells them for like $30. Check the temperature of the water pump to engine hose while the engine is running, and compare it to the radiator. If the t-stat is working, the engine temp should get to 180 before the radiator temp changes significantly. The temperature the thermostat opens at should be pretty obvious, the engine temp and radiator temp will equalize when it does.

Nice thing about the sensor is that it will tell you if your gauge is accurate and if the thermostat is working without having to take anything apart.
 
Why did you select a 3 row over a 2 row radiator from Champion?

I have been looking at their radiators and haven't done anything because I am unsure for my 340.

Champion claims a 2 row will cool to 450 hp and a 3 row to 700 hp.

So I have wondered, is more really better? Also saving $40 (or so) with the 2 row sounds better to me.

I will be interested to hear about your results if/when you change your thermostat...so keep us posted on your results.

Paul


duster731 said:
So with my duster project finally finished with a rebuilt 318 beefed up headers and etc I also baught a new champion performance radiator 26 in 3 row aluminum. My problem is that the radiator does such a good job that my engine runs around 150 degrees no hotter or cooler and my thermostat is a 180. So with that said is it a problem with the water circulation not fully circulating because the thermostat isn't opening or should I downgrade my thermostat to 140 or something like that. Other then that it runs grate thanks for your help in advance
Click to expand...
 
1972DusterPaul said:
Why did you select a 3 row over a 2 row radiator from Champion?

I have been looking at their radiators and haven't done anything because I am unsure for my 340.

Champion claims a 2 row will cool to 450 hp and a 3 row to 700 hp.

So I have wondered, is more really better? Also saving $40 (or so) with the 2 row sounds better to me.

I will be interested to hear about your results if/when you change your thermostat...so keep us posted on your results.

Paul
Click to expand...


The reason y I got a 3 row is because I have bigger plans in the future for a bigger engine and more horses of course so I figured to go big and not to worry about it later. I will keep u posted on the issue and thanks again for everyone's help
 
So just alittle bit ago I started the duster and sat there with the meat thermometer and waited for the temp to get up to where it operates at and the stat never opened my stock temp gauge was pretty accurate to the meat thermometer it runs about 160 and because of that my 180 stat never opens. So should I replace the stat for a 160 so it fully circulates or restrict the air flow in front of the radiator. Thanks again
 
I can't imagine how it can be running to a max of 160* with a closed thermostat at idle. It should overheat.

Also…….. Your gauge gets it's temp signal from the engine side of the stat and your manual test was done at the radiator.

Yet both temps were the same at idle with a closed stat.

Sorry…… I can't help. It's an impossible scenario.

Maybe you don't have a thermostat at all or the one you have is stuck open.

If it never gets above 160* with the water not circulating you could probably remove your cooling system, run air cooled and not worry about it.
 
i dont get it as well i have a new stat in it there was no pressure on the upper hose and its not gettting any hotter, should i just change the stat for the heck of it and if so which one a 180 or 160. and there are no signs of overheating at all it just runs really cool no shroud on it also just a flex fan and a spacer
 
Thermostat ratings are measured 'fully open', so in other words ...the rating is telling you thats when the thermostat is fully open, otherwise they 'start opening' [180* for instance] at 150-155*


It is possible to have too much radiator capacity, but that would show at cruise/freeway not idle.

Running too cold is not good just as running too hot can be worse, either is still not good.

What water pump are you running, and 1 more time...is the stat opening or not?

Take it for a spin then check for opening...
 
If it's not getting hot on the engine side with a closed stat at idle, changing the stat won't do anything.

I mean….. What you are telling us is that it is only running 160* without the coolant circulating. Getting the coolant circulating won't make it run hotter.

That's why i said "It's an impossible scenario."


Only options I see are……

•You have a 160* in there now but just don't know it.

•You don't have one in there at all.

•Whatever is in there is stuck open.


Was the coolant circulating when you looked in the top of the radiator?
Your upper hose won't develop pressure with the cap off and a thermometer sticking out the top of the radiator.

Look for circulation (the coolant will be flowing quickly past the hole left by the removed cap.

Once it is circulating take your temp test. If it never circulates and never gets over 160*, Im out of answers.
 
Pull the rad cap of and look in there and see if the water is just sitting there or if it is moving. I am betting it will be moving and never stop.
 
So I replaced the thermostat because it was faulty and now the engine gets up to a normal temp (180) so thank you everyone for your help
 
duster731 said:
So I replaced the thermostat because it was faulty and now the engine gets up to a normal temp (180) so thank you everyone for your help
Click to expand...

Was the old faulty T-stat pretty new? If so what brand.

I have heard some bad thing about some of the new t-stats.
 
duster731 said:
So I replaced the thermostat because it was faulty and now the engine gets up to a normal temp (180) so thank you everyone for your help
Click to expand...

All during this thread you kept going on about putting in a colder stat. What you should have done THEN and what you should do NOW is put in a HOTTER stat. 190/ 195


And you're right. I'm ALWAYS preachin' to people that "new" does not mean "good." 'Specially nowadays
 
The first stat was from autozone and was faulty and the second is from kragen same temp I also put new gauges in and my original temp gauge was off as well now the 318 runs about 185
 
lotsa guys think cooler is better actually it is worse . small block mopars and most engines need to run at at least 190 degrees. they were designed to run at those temps and higher. so don't get excited to see your engine run as high as 220 in traffic.
 
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